I agree ignition could very well be the problem...sometime soon i'm gonna put my timing cover back on and double check that the valves are set properly. (put on my freshly painted daytona yellow valve covers) and button up the front...so that i can get the real problem figured out... thanks guys.

 

GUESS WHAT? I'm PAYING $36,000 back to the GOVERNMENT for GOING TO SCHOOL FOR THIS, AND ONLY THIS. ONE FULL YEAR, 12 WEEKS ON, 10 DAYS OFF. SO BACK OFF. Not to mention I've had 7 years experience with just about any problem you could possibly imagine on my own car. So don't tell me I don't know WTF I'm talking about!

Obviously you don't know the basic engine performance troubleshooting process:

1. Verify there is a problem. Duh. No start.
2. Check for diagnostic trouble codes. Code 12. May or may not be an issue.
3, AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT: VERIFY THE HEALTH OF THE BASE ENGINE THROUGH COMPRESSION, VACUUM, AND OTHER TESTS IF POSSIBLE. Because, if there is something wrong with the base engine, then you CANNOT expect it to run right, right? Now that you've read this, READ IT AGAIN.

Now, instead of fighting with me, whom has helped MANY on here, how's about you either decide to actually help the guy or just leave it alone and let us work on what we know?

Now, the ECM HAS TO BE DEALT WITH BECAUSE IT WAS POSTED BEFORE THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR DECIDED HE WANTED TO SWAP THE ENGINE OVER TO ANOTHER CONTROL SYSTEM, AND REVERTED IT BACK TO SELL THE CAR. As you posted above, there could be a problem with a sensor or what not. Well, no, really? If the ECM connector was repinned improperly, then there would be a problem with said sensor, right? Or the ignition? Or the fuel injectors? How's about you read before you spit out useless info?

I don't know how many of you "professional" mechanics do it, but you NEVER check the connections BEFORE you start throwing parts and what not at the problem. I caught 2 guys at it on my internship and called them both on it. One was a warranty return for the third time for the same problem (air ride system on a GMC SUV) and the other was a badly running Ford Focus (broken power wire at the ignition coil I spotted from 4 feet away after the tech working on the car did a full tune up and still didn't fix the problem). This could be as simple as putting a wire back in the right hole, but you'll have this poor guy spending hundreds of dollars on parts HE DOESN'T NEED before we actually get around to checking the wiring.

 

i agree with you also Mav. I don't have the money to run out and buy parts and not see it fixed...one way or the other it is possible to troubleshoot most parts either by ohming them or other testing. sure i'd love to be able to go buy a new pickup, ignition module, and coil but it just won't happen...hell i know i need new plugs but until i get it running i just clean them and gap them (actually my girlfriend does this) so that i know it'll run..it may run rough but it'll run.

with that being said. would you think with my compression good that my valves are working correct? i'm just really worrie i'll have to tear it back down even though it isn't that big of a deal.

 

Heavy Chevy, I really want to help you because I hate to see guys with broke down cars, and I know what your problem is... You are not getting correct spark. If the valves or the timing chain were set too far off to even fire up, I would have heard it in the video. I have heard hundreds of these V6's turn over. All of this stuff you're looking for, is in the video. (If Maverick was a little more experienced rather than a student he would know what he can skip based on what we already know) Read what I'm writing instead of skimming through, please. 90% chance you would already be running, and you would be out NO MONEY UNLESS IT WAS THE PROBLEM.

For now, don't worry about timing unless it is in reference to the distributor. Cleaning your plugs is fine. The ICM is the only thing I said to buy, because testing it at home is wishy-washy results at best, you will NEVER really know unless you're equipped to test it right after you quickly pull it off the car, that is the nature of these ICM's, it's something you only learn after trying to figure one out 100 times. That is a fact. The only reason one would say otherwise is because he/she hasn't seen enough of them to know otherwise, so disregard his/her "knowledge" on that subject. You will have to bite a bullet on that to buy it and get it troubleshooted, and move on. You can always take it back if it is not the problem. You will not get out of this for free, it is never the case on cars with electronics unless you have a LOT of EXPENSIVE tools AND experience with the components, sorry. It's just how it is.

Test the pickup coil, and the ignition coil, as I already said once, and post the results here. Check all grounds, and make sure the connectors at the base of the distributor are in good shape (you never mentioned those previously). I bet you will find a short to ground in one of the three components mentioned, or not have good wiring to that area (CHECK YOUR GROUNDS!). Which will indicate your problem. If not, it is probably your ICM. But NONE of this means anything if you don't make sure your plug wires are good, and the plugs are cleaned and gapped EVERY TIME you try to start it. If you tried to turn it over even once and it didn't start... Clean them again before the next try.

Some people touting an education on the subject yet do not have the common sense enough to troubleshoot a basic ignition problem will have you running around all day. They would rather look more ignorant in the guise of being clever, for telling me to check things (compression, vacuum) we all already know by reading and watching the video (things you would know too if you had any experience, Maverick). Things you should know if you're worth your wrench instead of being just another UTI/Wyo graduate that will never get hired and is a joke to everyone around him, as usual. Most of the graduates these days can use a scanner but not a valve spring compressor. That is the honest truth.

 

UPDATE: After working all night last night and several hours tonight i've got it all back together. Nothing has changed. The only difference is fresh gaskets & some lovely Daytona yellow paint. As far as i can tell it's still doing the exact same thing it was doing before i tore it down. It's hititng when it wants to.i'm not really sure what's wrong and i don't have to money to throw at it. Autozone's policy is that your can't return any electronics so i can't be sure with out testing EVERYTHING.

Will someone who has the time Walk me through the process of testing my ignition module, coil, and injectors? As well as anything else that might be causing the problem.

 

First off, Dizturbed One, you've been ignored. I don't need someone who obviously doesn't even know the basic troubleshooting process to tell me how to fix a car. I've been working on my own car for 7 years, as I said, having been through just about every problem you can think of, and mine's running just fine (or it would be if it wasn't in a couple hundred pieces right now), and I have been around cars for close to 18. My uncle was a mechanic for the Army, and my neighbor not only works on cars, but he rebuilds and restores big rigs, of which one or 2 have been in a couple movies. Nuff said there. And, if you think you know any different, then, when I get my car back together with my SD harness and ECM, you can come up here and tell me why it randomly stalls out and refuses to refire when it wants to if all of the base parts work with the factory MAF harness for 400+ miles at a time, even after having replaced the distributor, ignition module, and switching between 2 730 ECM's.

As for your problem, Heavy, I still say you need to go through and check your connections at the fuel injectors, ECM, and also the INJ1 and FP/INJ2 fuses at the fuse panel. It sounds like only the cold start (seventh) injector is firing, and that alone isn't enough to run the engine. You will need to disconnect the injector harness at the front of the engine and test for 12V at the pink wires (light on is good, no light is bad). And then you need to connect a test light to the positive terminal of the battery and probe the light blue and light green wires at the injector harness connector for grounding while cranking the engine. The light should blink when the engine is cranked. If there is no light on the pink wires, you will first want to check the INJ fuses in the fuse panel under the dash. If the fuses are good, from there, you need to find the 6-terminal connector under the dash by the ECM connections and make sure that the pink wires are lined up (there will be around 4 wires in the connector and 2 on each side are pink). If there is no blinking when cranking the engine and the test light is hooked between the battery and the ECM signal wires in the injector harness, you will need to check the ECM connections, as I mentioned before (but someone else was telling you to do otherwise).

As for testing the ignition module, first, make sure that everything is plugged in (I know, common sense, but sometimes it happens). Then check the 2-wire connector at the base of the distributor for having good wiring (the power wire broke on me while I was at school AFTER the other instructor fried my ignition module and I had to hunt for a replacement connector). Then, take a spare plug or remove one and ground the body of the plug against a bolt and crank the engine. There should be a nice white spark there. The power to the distributor module comes from the ignition coil's black connector through the 2-wire assembly.

Go through this, and then we'll go from there. :edit: Oh, and make sure you don't have a code 46, which shuts off the fuel injectors (VATS system error code which tells the ECM to shut off the fuel injectors).

 

i checked for codes and got nothing. i pulled the coil and module to take to autozone but i may not have the camaro much longer. i was made an offer which i can't refuse if the guy follows through. but if not then i'm gonna have them checked. i didn't want to make the trip to town if the guy is gonna pick it up tomorrow. thanks for everyone's help.

 

Edit - Glad you can get peace from it and just move on then Heavy Chevy, I have a car I would like to do that to right now just because of the amount of parts I need for it to be reliable again, LOL.

Maverick, I'm truly sorry. Consider this my formal apology. I did not know you have been in the presence of vehicles almost as long as I have had some underwear. I did not know you change your own oil and your uncle and neighbor are master mechanics of the universe and have imparted that innate knowledge upon you through mere contact with them. Thank you for imparting your infinite wisdom upon us for our problems, Mr. Internet Technician. Teach me basic troubleshooting one day, show me how you kinetically detected an ECM fault after a mere compression test, before spark and fuel has even been gone through, on a no start situation. One day, I can only hope to be a glimmer of a man as you.

 

i took the ICM to autozone and had it checked..it tested good but the camaro is no longer in my possesion. but i will let them know your opinions. thanks for being so helpful.

 

I can't believe no one suggested checking the fuel pressure.

 

the fuel pressure was fine..i'm guessing that throughout all the crappy starting the plugs had completely crapped out. we put new plugs in and it fired right up...it's spitting a little through the intake. they think the valves are out of adjustment...i can believe it...but i'm happy getting another great classic out of it all.....i know noone wants to hear it but i traded my 78 fairmont futura 5.0 for it and i ended up trading the camaro for a 73 f100 302 3 on the tree 2wd...it's gonna be nice...i'm not gonna dog on a camaro my buddy has a nice 92 with a 305 in it and it handles just too awesome...maybe someday i'll get a good one.. nice buit iroc...the one we all have wet dreams about.